PICTURE: Garuda Indonesia retires last Boeing 747-400

10 October, 2017

SOURCE: Flight Dashboard

BY: Firdaus Hashim

Singapore

Garuda Indonesia formally retired its final Boeing 747-400 from service at a ceremony on 9 October.

The last 747 in the airline's fleet, registered PK-GSH, operated its last flight on 6 October from Madinah to Makassar carrying Haj pilgrims, followed by a ferry flight from Makassar to Jakarta, says the SkyTeam carrier.

Garuda Indonesia

Since 1994, Garuda operated three 747-400s that were were equipped with 428 seats in two classes: 42 business and 386 in economy. They have previously served destinations including Amsterdam, Beijing, London and Singapore, but more recently have been dedicated to religious pilgrimage services to Saudi Arabia.

The type's retirement also signifies Garuda's continued fleet renewal programme, and its continued effort to maintain a high service quality and passenger safety by having a younger fleet, adds the airline's chief executive Pahala Mansury.